Thursday, March 31, 2011

First of all, remember that beautiful dress that I just HAD to have for graduation? Well it came, it fits, and it looks awesome! I'm SO excited!!!!

So usually Thursday is weigh-in day for Weight Watchers. Well, Andrew and I decided to change it to Fridays. Typically on Thursdays we would tend to eat more since it was a whole week before weighing in again. This is fine, except we'd also eat more on the weekends. So we're cutting out a day of eating more by weighing in on Fridays and, if it happens, not feel as bad eating worse on Friday and Saturday nights. Lately we've been lucky to have friends in town so it has been difficult to stay completely on plan (although we try!), so maybe this will help us stay on track. Hence, Thursdays on the blog will have to be filled some other way. Fridays will now be my weekly Weight Watchers update AND my continued participation in Long Distance Loving's Friday's Fancies where I play on Polyvore and come up with a fabulous outfit each week. Any ideas for a Thursday theme? Today is easy since it is Opening Day!!!

Are you a baseball fan? I liked it but wasn't a huge fan until I started to date Andrew. He loves the game and we went to around 20 or so last year. It was always a blast to cheer on the Washington Nationals even though they did not have a winning season, and I found myself becoming a true fan. [As a side note, it must be said, I grew up a Pittsburgh fan so I will always have a special place in my heart for the Pirates, even though they battle with the Nats for being the worst team in the league!!]

So here are a few pictures of my day at the ballpark - gotta love being unemployed sometimes! [Side note 2: I got a part-time job today! Woo!]

Andrew had to work so I didn't have my usual companion with me. Plus the weather was cold and rainy AND the Nats lost, but hey, it's baseball, so I had fun cheering on the guys.

Some new decor outside the Center Field gate. Apparently it lights up at night and looks really cool...the lights are timed to look like it's a pitch.Our view from way up in the 300 level. Glooooomy gloomy day.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Whether you are full of sass, class or a little bit of both like me, it is important to let your true self shine. I first read about The Shine Project blog on my friend Holly's blog, and was intrigued by the positive messages and uplifting theme. Ashley from The Shine Project also has adorable necklaces! Embrace who you are! Shine on, friends! :)

Monday, March 28, 2011

Sunday, March 27, 2011

So I am just really excited for two reasons. I finished a part of one of my semester projects, the professor liked it, and she told me to send it to the client - woohoo!

AND I just happened upon ModCloth and bought this gorgeous dress for graduation! I can't even take it! LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I'm thinking of wearing pearls with the dress, but I need ideas for shoes and a purse. I don't want to do matchy-matchy, and I don't want any red accents because I'll look too Christmas-y, so any suggestions would be great!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Happy Friday! Pop on over to Long Distance Loving for her dose of Friday's Fancies. It is such a cute idea and I now look forward to participating every week. I mean, really - an excuse for me to have fun on Polyvore?!? Done and done. Here's the outfit I would love to wear tonight if I had the money to buy any of it.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Good morning readers! Now that the 30 Day Photo Challenge is complete, it's back to my normal weekly Weight Watchers update on Thursdays, aka Weigh-In Day.

Weekly Update:Weight loss:.6 pounds!

Total weight loss: 15.2!! Here's a picture of me in a new dress wearing green nail polish! I'm not usually this daring in terms of polish color, but it's so springy and I love it!

Pounds remaining to reach goal weight:24.6...SUCH a long way to go! I really hope I can do it!

Overall mood this week:Pretty happy! Lindsey was in town this week and it was just lovely having her here. I love my friends. This weekend I have more friends coming in town! Yay!

Also, I was really happy that a pair of my jeans I haven't worn in a while are too big! Yes, they're an old pair with zero stretch to them, kind of worn in, but they are BCBG and I got them for $30 when I was a junior in high school. I'm keeping those suckers. And now they're too big! Because of this I dared to try on the jeans I wore my senior year of college when I was at my thinnest. I can button them and they ALMOST fit...maybe a few more pounds and I can wear them out and about again! WooHoo!!!!!

Also, I've had a lot of help with my job networking and it will hopefully pay off. One of the people I used to work with emailed to ask if I would do some contract work for his web development company. Ummmm working from home (while still in school) on stuff that interests me? Sign.me.up. Who knows, maybe I could still do this work after the move?!?!? :) Fingers crossed everything works out!

Oh and school is going well haha...I have been working really hard on my digital portfolio and have finally decided how I'm going to make it unique. My other two projects are awesome: I am working for two companies so I am getting real-world experience! For my statistics project I will post my survey once complete, so please fill it out if you can!Worked out:5 times!I am incredibly sore, but I feel great...and did you read the part about my jeans?!?! Woo!

Yummy finds:This week Andrew and I craved hot dogs, and luckily the amazing chefs from two of our favorite restaurants on Barrack's Row (Ted's Bulletin and Matchbox) opened a hot dog shop on the same street! DC3 is soooo good with many hot dog choices! We seriously stood looking at the menu for at least five minutes trying to decide. I went with an Ohio favorite, the Cincinnati Coney. Andrew chose his own ingredients. Yum!

While we ate at Belga's and Tortilla Coast this week, I think my favorite overall "meal" was on Saturday afternoon. Besides, I was incredibly good at both restaurants...when all I really wanted was the french toast and the Super Taco Salad! Anyway, on Saturday the wine, cheese, and fruit all afternoon on my back porch with good friends made for a wonderful day. The company, the sunshine, the food, the wine...ahhhh to be Saturday again...

Tonight Andrew and I are grilling out and accompanying our meat with Gina's Low-Fat Baked Onion Rings. Onion Rings on Weight Watchers?!?!?! Yep! Can't WAIT to do this tonight!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

So I thought I would start something new on Wednesdays, where I wish for something that I can't afford. So I stumbled upon OlioBoard, which is basically an interior designer's polyvore. Interior designer I am NOT, but it sure is fun to try. Here's my first creation, a completely impractical room.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

So walking around DC has started to be more enjoyable lately. The flowers are in bloom, friends! Everywhere I look there are flowers. My favorites, though, are the Cherry Blossoms. Have any of you seen the Cherry Blossoms along the Tidal Basin? They are gorgeous every year. Too many people walk around, but overall the scene is gorgeous. Here's a pic from a couple of years ago on an unfortunately cloudy day:

There are plenty of pretty pictures online (below), and at the markets and street vendors most of the artwork on sale involve blossoms!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

First of all, I have to finish the 30 Day Photo Challenge! I can't believe it's already been 30 days. I need a new challenge and am accepting ideas so please share. Today's challenge is to post a picture of someone I miss. Gosh it's tough to pick one picture. Andrew and I just went to Mass and were surrounded by adorable babies, so of course it made me think of my niece, Lady Lizzie. So yes, you all know I miss her living all the way on the other side of the country. But yeah, I'll post a picture of her (again). haha so the back story while unnecessary is super cute for the picture: Elizabeth was born my mom's birthday. My mom's name is Patricia. Lizzie's middle name is Patricia (awww). So, for Halloween this year, my sister dressed up Elizabeth in a pea pod outfit, calling her Elizabeth "Pea." Cute, right?!?!

Okay, so that's all, folks! I did 30 days worth of pictures and I must say, it was a lot of fun to have an excuse to post every day. I want to keep this up!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

I purposely skipped the post for Day 28 of the 30 Day Photo Challenge. Posting a picture of something that frightens me? I am a scardy cat and have many fears, soooo yeah I'm not doing that. I don't want nightmares haha!

Moving on, I'll just go to Day 29! Today's challenge is to post a picture that can always make me smile. Now THAT is much more fun!

Quick question: would you be annoyed if I posted another picture of Andrew and I or of my niece for this post? Both just make me smile all the time! Soooo...both? Okay. I can handle posting both. :)

Friday, March 18, 2011

So I follow two blogs that inspired this set. First, Aspiring Kennedy has an "If I Woke Up In Paris" theme while the author is in Paris. It's lovely! And every Friday I look forward to Long Distance Loving's "Friday's Fancies." So here's what I would wear in Paris today if I could actually be there! As always, I can never pick shoes, so maybe I'd switch it up mid-day (p.s. I have the black shoes!)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!I am Irish so I celebrate this day with plenty of pride (and Guinness), but I think everyone is Irish on March 17. Don't forget to wear your green and to squeeze in some fun today! Erin go Bragh!

Day 27 of the 30 Day Photo Challenge is to post a picture with a family member. My grandpa who passed away in 2004 was always such a blast on St. Patrick's Day (and every day, really). Grandpa Gus loved to sing songs and tell stories (as most Irish men do) and I miss sitting around his house listening to his tales. He lived to be 90 so there were many! I really need to scan a picture I have of just the two of us from when I was in high school, but it's just in my memory for now. I am just one of 40+ grandchildren, so it's rare to have a picture with just him! I totally regret not taking more with him.

Grandpa Gus loved the Peanuts and wore many ties sporting Snoopy and the gang. So for today's picture, I'll post one of Snoopy and Woodstock. Every time I see a card or anything relating to the Peanuts I think of him.

Overall mood this week:Well, Spring Break is over and reality is starting to set in. My finals are due the first week of May so I know time is going to fly. So overall I'm stressed and I think I will stay stressed until I have some certainty about what's going to happen. Will I get a job I like - will I just get a job? Where will we live? What am I going to get rid of from DC? How can I say goodbye to my friends? How will I pay for everything? Those are just a few of the many thoughts running through my head.

However, Weight Watchers has been a healthy distraction. I am happy that my skinny jeans are too big - I have to put them in the dryer before I wear them and they stretch to be too big in minutes! My leather belts that I like to wear around my waist are also too big - Andrew is going to punch in more holes in the belts for me this weekend! Woo hoo!Worked out:I only worked out twice because my back really hurt, but it's feeling better this week and I'm working out more just with a lower intensity (and more stretching!)

Yummy finds:I have a new found love for marshmallows. Seriously I can eat and eat and eat those mini mallows without even thinking about it. Dangerous, yes, but delicious, fat free, and low points? Certainly! Really I don't eat that many at a time, it just feels like I do. Do you mindlessly eat? I absolutely do, especially if I'm watching TV. Well, munching on marshmallows has curbed some of that and satisfied my sweet tooth (like I said earlier this week, I can't eat chocolate!). Don't worry, I'm still eating healthy, but eating healthy can be exhausting, so if I eat a handful of marshmallows at night then I trick my body into thinking I just ate a huge dessert. Win-win!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Day 26 of the 30 Day Photo Challenge is to post a picture of something that means a lot to me. As with most of these posts I can't choose one picture. C'mon. haha

As I job hunt and get ready to leave DC I am constantly reflecting on the friends I have made here. I have been blessed growing up with having a solid group of girlfriends; in both high school and my sorority in college, I surrounded myself with caring and wonderful friends who I miss dearly. When I moved to DC I was afraid I wouldn't have a strong group like that again - can lightening strike the same place thrice? It certainly did! Seven of us found each other, and while four left the city sporadically, we remain a close group. Here is a picture of us jumping on the Capitol steps...this is one of my all-time favorite pictures. Back story: it was a gift for the first to leave DC of the group, who is in the second picture (we met her later on that same night and she had no idea what we had previously been up to!).

So yeah, friends mean a lot to me.

Here's some of my gang from grad school:Here's a picture of a few of my girls from Theta Nu at Molly's wedding this summer:

Here's a picture with a few of the gals from my 5-year high school reunion:

And, obviously Andrew/family mean the world to me. I have posted tons of pictures of us, so here's another picture of my niece because I just miss this little lass and feel like it!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Day 25 in the 30 Day Photo Challenge is to post a picture of my day. Oops I didn't take any pictures today. However, I did have brunch with my good friend Lindsey who's in town on her Spring Break, which was a lovely start to my day. We ate at Le Pain Quotidien, one of the cozy spots on the Hill I have come to adore. I love how we haven't seen each other in two years and yet it was like no time had passed. We gabbed and gabbed and enjoyed our lovely coffee and omelets. Lindsey took the picture from today on her camera so I'll post a picture of us from when I went to visit her in Austin two years ago. And the answer to your question is yes. Yes I got an awkward sunburn earlier that day. I thought it matched my dress, don't you? ;)

The rest of my day consisted of class, boxing, cooking with Andrew, and homework. Andrew's mom got us an immersion blender over the weekend (woohoo!!!!) so we made Gina's Baked Potato Soup tonight - yum! Then we made Gina's Rice Krispy Treats again...we gave up chocolate for Lent so these treats are quite common around here. Do you have any low-fat non-chocolate recipes to share??? I do love Better 'N Peanut Butter so I really want to find a low-fat peanut butter recipe. Help!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Good afternoon, readers! Day 24 of the 30 Day Photo Challenge is to post a picture of something I wish I could change. As I sit on campus reading/blogging/eating/watching CNN, I can't help but think about those suffering in Japan. I can't imagine and wish I could do more than just donate a small amount and pray. Have any of you found other ways to help? I first saw this image the other day on the wonderful blog post by Christine on Bijou and Boheme and she also posted some links to organizations accepting donations.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Happy sunny Sunday! Day 23 of the 30 Day Photo Challenge is to post a picture of my favorite book. This is so tough! I will break this into categories, so I apologize for the length of the post, but please enjoy my trip down memory lane.

First, my favorite book as a kid was The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear. I was also a big Berenstein Bears fan. Yes, I like bears. Anyway, this story is about a mouse trying to keep his enormous strawberry from the bear. Adorable, fun pictures, and bears: what more could you ask for as a little tot? :)

My favorite book as a tween was, hands down, Piano Lessons Can Be Murder in the Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine. Did any of you read any of the Goosebump books? I scoured every Scholastic Book Fair for the latest and greatest, and this one was by far my favorite.

In high school I never had time to read for fun, and it was rare that I enjoyed anything I had to read for school. I did (and still do) fancy history, though, and any novels we had to read for English that involved history, particularly about the effects of war on both soldiers and families, interested me. I loved the absurdity and wit in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five. I know the satiric anti-war sentiment can be controversial, but I appreciate the art of the book, especially from Vonnegut's perspective as a previous POW. I read some of the reviews as I searched for an image on Amazon and the Life review coined it perfectly: “Splendid art . . . a funny book at which you are not permitted to laugh, a sad book without tears.”

Like high school I rarely read for pleasure in college. I always read over breaks, though, and I found my favorite author during this time in Adriana Trigiani. She writes sophisticated "chick lit," always in the voice of a strong Italian-American woman. Trigiani's descriptive writing style not only transforms your surroundings and envelops you into the setting, her writing is also conversational. In all of Trigiani's books I feel like I'm in the room chatting with her protagonist. In Lucia, Lucia, Trigiani writes about a seamstress in Greenwich Village. It's an incredible story, like all of her literary achievements. As I said in previous posts, I'm currently reading Brava Valentine by Trigiani - so good!

In college I was also inspired by Jane Green's book Jemima J. to lose weight. This is a fun book, blatantly criticizing stereotypes and artfully documenting the trials of being overweight, the difficulty of losing weight, the transition to having a new body and new perception of you by others, and finally, acceptance of yourself as you are. I have read other Green books but this in my opinion is one of the books with the most depth to it with the guise of fitting into "chick lit."

In grad school I have read an insane amount of every form of literature. It's really difficult to pin down one favorite from the past two years, but I think the quickest, most entertaining read was What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis. Sure Jarvis has his share of name-dropping, but what he lacks in tact he gains in empowering consumers by confirming the importance of their opinions and experiences. By outlining Google's open business model, I have learned a different aspect of marketing techniques. His opinions and entrepreneurial vignettes support my belief that the Internet creates collaborative communities and harnesses power in more ways that we can imagine - and yet we have fun using our imaginations to lasso all possible ideas.

Finally, I managed to read two of the three books in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series over Christmas break. While difficult to read at times, Stieg Larsson sure knew how to write suspense novels. These are longer than the Twilight series and maybe even Harry Potter (HUGE fan of both of these, too!), but I quickly finished both and certainly plan to read the third book post-graduation!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Happy Saturday! Day 22 of the 30 Day Photo Challenge is to post a picture of something I wish I was better at doing. Don't ask me, someone who has little self confidence, to limit myself on this challenge. The challenge is certainly to pick only one thing.

One of the most uncomfortable things for me to do is to mingle. I HATE small talk. Unfortunately I network all of the time...and networking involves small talk. It depends on my mood, but I'm typically awkward in a mingling setting. Sometimes I just need a glass of wine or some caffeine to perk me up and let the conversation flow, but until that time, it's just awkward turtle everywhere. Do you have any mingling tips to share?

Friday, March 11, 2011

Day 21 for the 30 Day Photo Challenge is to post a picture of something I wish I could forget. My 6th grade school picture burns in my memory so there's no need to have a digital copy of it. Thank goodness. I had short hair, braces, was chubby, and was all over awkward (not much has changed haha). It was just bad. Oh I also wore glasses but took them off when I could - I'm nearsighted so I always wore them to see the chalkboard and TV, but would rather be blind at all other times than wear those uuuugly things. *shudder*

You know it's funny, I don't have pictures of anything I wish I could forget. I usually delete pictures if I want to forget something. I could post a picture of me from around the holidays because I was fat, but I don't want to delete those pictures - they serve as motivation. So yeah, no picture today - sorry!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Day 20 of the 30 Day Photo Challenge is to post a picture of somewhere I'd love to travel. Sheesh, just one?!?! How can a gal choose? Hmmm how about a little trip to Spain with Andrew? Andrew studied in Salamanca and said he would take me here:

His description: "This is the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca. I walked through it every day on my way to class. This picture was taken late at night, but during the day and through about midnight there are tables set up at all the resturants so you can drink and relax outside."Sounds lovely to me! I'm in!

Weekly Update:Weight loss:1.5 pounds!

Total weight loss: 13.7!!

Pounds remaining to reach goal weight:26.1

Overall mood this week:It's been a nice Spring Break so far! And yes, I've done some school work, networking, and even spoke to my professors over phone and email. Nerd alert!

Other than hurting my back and now being pretty immobile yesterday and today, I've been in a solidly happy mood all week! Now that I've lost weight, though, instead of being excited I will admit I feel like the road is still long. Can I really lose another 26 pounds? It's been really hard to just get here, so can I keep going and not go crazy? People are starting to notice, so that's made me happy - seriously, one boxing instructor asked if I lost weight!Worked out:3? 4? The days are running together haha

I did run outside on Monday for the first time since October and I ran 4 miles! I forgot how much easier it is to run further outside. And when I ran mid-morning around The Mall, I felt like I had the entire park to myself. It was incredible to be alone watching the sun gleam across the monuments. What I did not forget, however, is how tough it is to run up Capitol Hill! That incline is a killer!

Second, in reference to my weekly post from last week I have accomplished almost all of my Spring Break goals. I am really enjoying a book by my favorite author, I treated myself to lunch, and went to a movie today since it was raining. I am also going to the art gallery tomorrow!

Here's a pic of my delicious lunch last week.The Starfish Cafe is in my neighborhood and I have always wanted to try it. I am so glad I did! It is a quaint row house nestled in the neighborhood with a delicious menu, exposed brick interior, colorful decor, and warm welcomes upon entering. I might not go again because while I enjoyed my salad, I wanted to try everything else on the menu - none of which is Weight Watchers (or wallet!) friendly. Those hush puppies were not warm, which worked in my favor so I wouldn't be tempted to slather on the butter and stuff my face!

Another exciting neighborhood happening was the soft opening of Pound, a beautiful coffee shop along Pennsylvania Avenue. It has a gorgeous interior, outdoor patio, comfy chairs, and delicious drinks. I can't wait to try the food when they open next week! I already made friends with the owners and went both Monday and Tuesday. The coffee is strong and tasty and the Nutella skim latte is a dream in a cup. Below is a picture of the latte, and the barista tried to make the foam decoration look like a crab. Points for trying!

This weekend Andrew and I tried Gina's Baked Potato soup and it is SO delicious! I enjoyed leftovers for lunches this week! We also made old faithfuls, Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas and Arroz Con Pollo. So yes, we ate very well this week!

On Sunday I helped my sorority sister Shawna shop for her wedding shoes (thank you Nordstrom!) and we went to Godiva to obtain our monthly free truffle and of course try extra truffles. I ate the carrot cake (right) and saved the cheesecake (left) for dessert with Andrew, who ate the dark chocolate (center). Sooooo good!

That's all for the weekly update! See you tomorrow for Day 21 of the Photo Challenge. Quick question, though...what should I do when the 30 days are over? How do you get people to read your blogs and follow you? I'd love advice!